Judges 11:1

Judges 11:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.
• New International Version (NIV)Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior. His father was Gilead; his mother was a prostitute.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior, but he was the son of a prostitute. Gilead was the father of Jephthah.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, but he was the son of a harlot; and Gilead begot Jephthah.

Context of Judges 11:1

Now Jephthah of Gilead was a great warrior. He was the son of Gilead, but his mother was a prostitute. 2Gilead’s wife also had several sons, and when these half brothers grew up, they chased Jephthah off the land. “You will not get any of our father’s inheritance,” they said, “for you are the son of a prostitute.” 3So Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob. Soon he had a band of worthless rebels following him.

Judges 11:1 word by word

וְיִפְתָּ֣ח הַגִּלְעָדִ֗י הָיָה֙ גִּבּ֣וֹר חַ֔יִל וְה֖וּא בֶּן־אִשָּׁ֣ה זוֹנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד גִּלְעָ֖ד אֶת־יִפְתָּֽח׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Now Jephthahיִפְתָּחyiphtâch · JephthahH3316
• the Gileaditeגִּלְעָדִיgil‛âdîy · GileaditeH1569
• was a mighty manגִּבּוֹרgibbôr gibbôr · mighty manH1368
• of valourחַ֫יִלchayil · strengthH2428
• the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of an harlotזָנָהzânâh · to fornicateH2181
• of an harlotאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• and Gileadגִּלְעָדgil‛âd · GileadH1568
• begatיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205

Cross-references for Judges 11:1

• Hebrews 11:32How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets.
• Judges 6:12The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!”
• 2 Kings 5:1The king of Aram had great admiration for Naaman, the commander of his army, because through him the Lord had given Aram great victories. But though Naaman was a mighty warrior, he suffered from leprosy.
• Joshua 2:1Then Joshua secretly sent out two spies from the Israelite camp at Acacia Grove. He instructed them, “Scout out the land on the other side of the Jordan River, especially around Jericho.” So the two men set out and came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there that night.

Commentaries on Judges 11:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Now Jephthah - was the son of a harlot - I think the word זונה zonah, which we here render harlot, should be translated, as is contended for on Joshua 2:1; (note), viz. a hostess, keeper of an inn or tavern for the accommodation of travelers; and thus it is understood by the Targum of Jonathan on this place: פונדקיתא אתתא בר והוא vehu bar ittetha pundekitha, "and he was the son of a woman, a tavern keeper." She was very probably a Canaanite, as she is…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1The history of Jephthah appears to be an independent history inserted by the compiler of the Book of Judges. Judges 11:4-5 introduce the Ammonite war without any apparent reference to Judges 10:17-18. A genealogy of Manasseh 1 Chronicles 7:14-17 gives the families which sprang from Gilead, and among them mention is made of an “Aramitess” concubine as the mother of one family. Jephthah, the son of Gilead by a strange woman, fled, after his father‘s death…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Jephtah and the Gileadites. (1-11) He attempts to make peace. (12-28) Jephthah's vow. He vanquishes the Ammonites. (29-40) Verses 1-11 Men ought not to be blamed for their parentage, so long as they by their personal merits roll away any reproach. God had forgiven Israel, therefore Jephthah will forgive. He speaks not with confidence of his success, knowing how justly God might suffer the Ammonites to prevail for the further punishment of Israel. Nor does…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-2mighty man of valor: Jephthah had military skill and possibly social importance (see study note on Judges 6:12, where mighty man of valor is translated as “mighty hero”). Gilead was a descendant of Manasseh (Numbers 26:29–33; 32:39–40; 1 Chronicles 7:14–17). Jephthah's social standing made him noticeable, despite the shame of his mother being a prostitute. His half-brothers were not required to accept Jephthah's status or leadership.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-31. Jephthah--"opener." son of an harlot--a concubine, or foreigner; implying an inferior sort of marriage prevalent in Eastern countries. Whatever dishonor might attach to his birth, his own high and energetic character rendered him early a person of note. Gilead begat Jephthah--His father seems to have belonged to the tribe of Manasseh (1Ch 7:14, 17).Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 11:1

• Adultery
• Bastard
• Gilead
• Jephthah
• Prayer

In the dictionaries

• Gilead
• Jephthah
• Bastard
• Fight
• Inherit
• Meet
• Abdon (1)
• Ammon; Ammonites
• Crime; Crimes
• Genealogy

Commentaries on Judges 11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary